Isa Santos is a first-year astrophysics major at UC Santa Cruz with an 8 a.m. class every Thursday. Ideally, Santos would get dressed, grab breakfast at the nearest dining hall and travel to her class.

But due to the reduced dining hall hours implemented earlier this year, she often misses out on the nutrition she needs at breakfast time.

“Instead of being able to eat first thing before class, I have to skip breakfast in order to make it to my early morning classes,” Santos said. “I also have to check which dining halls are open because Crown/Merrill is closed during weekends, which can interrupt my studying time.” 

On top of this, Santos is type 1 diabetic, meaning having a stable blood sugar throughout the day is essential for her basic health. 

This situation is quite relatable for the 5,700 new undergraduates UCSC welcomed this fall quarter. Three dining halls and a cafe have altered their operating hours compared to the previous year, opening later and closing earlier. 

Last year, the College Nine/John R. Lewis, Cowell/Stevenson and Rachel Carson/Oakes dining halls opened their doors at 7 a.m. This year, the dining halls are scheduled to open at 8 a.m. and close at 10 p.m., an hour earlier than last year, according to the UCSC Division of Student Affairs and Success website.

Many students have expressed distaste toward the reduced hours.  

“It’s hard to wake up early just to use an available dining hall that’s farther from my 8 a.m. lecture, that means that I need to wake up earlier just to eat,” said Victoria Huynh, a first-year biology student at UCSC. 

Students also feel that the new dining hall hours limit the usage of their “unlimited” meal plan. 

“I bought the unlimited [meal plan] thinking that it would mean more access, however, with the way the school’s dining hall hours are set up, the ‘unlimited’ seems like a scam since I can’t eat when I need to,” Huynh continued. 

Dining halls aren’t the only dining services affected by reduced hours. Oakes Cafe will now open at 10 a.m. instead of 8 a.m., which has resulted in a complete removal of the breakfast menu.

Staff and students alike expressed confusion about the lack of communication from the university concerning why these changes have been implemented. 

“I’m now only realizing dining hall hours have been [impacted]. As a student with a really busy schedule, having more hours to choose from would’ve likely been helpful,” said C, a student dining services worker.

Many students wonder whether the dining hall hour cuts are related to the budget deficit. According to an article published in November 2025 by Lookout Santa Cruz, UCSC anticipated a deficit of about $80 million for the 2025 fiscal year. The deficit, in addition to the UC-wide hiring freeze, has led to faculty cuts across various departments at UCSC.

Erin Elliott, the Communications Director for Student Success and Campus Climate at UCSC, affirms that Dining Services is continuing to hire employees and that there has not been, nor is there currently, a hiring freeze in dining operations.

“The adjustments made for this academic year to dining hours are part of an ongoing effort to align our operations and staffing with when and where students are actually using the campus dining system, while continuing to provide reliable access to meals throughout the day and evening,” Elliott wrote in an email to City on a Hill Press. “Staffing decisions take into account customer volume, the number of employees needed to operate facilities safely and effectively, and the overall financial sustainability of the dining program.”

Still, other dining hall workers voiced concerns about how the new hours will add more pressure on the employees.

“I remember late [night] used to be very popular, and if only a few locations are offering late night, they could probably get swarmed even more than they did last year because they’re only open for such a limited time or on a certain day,” said S, another employee at an affected dining hall. “I can imagine it getting busier, especially more toward the evening.”

Alternative Options for Students 

On-campus resources such as Cowell Coffee Shop and Redwood Free Market provide food and other necessities to students. Students who are eligible for the Educational Opportunity Program can visit its office located in the Academic Resources Center to grab a free snack. Produce Pop-Ups outside of McHenry Library every Wednesday and the Science and Engineering Library every Friday also provide low-cost fruits and vegetables. 

According to the GetCalFresh website, Californians are eligible for CalFresh benefits if they fall under any one of the following categories:

  • Are enrolled at least half-time in a public two or four-year degree program in California
  • Work an average of at least 20 hours per week 
  • Are eligible for federal or state work-study
  • Care for a child under the age of 12
  • Participate in an approved employment or training program
  • Receive CalWORKs

These resources are meant to fill the gap for students who are facing food insecurity and are typically geared toward students who do not have a meal plan. With the recent cuts, even students with plans may need to rethink their options.

“I should not need to pick between having sleep or food,” Victoria Huynh said. “Students deserve better than this if they want to succeed.”

Resources: 

On Campus: 

Basic Needs Resources pantries are located at various spots across campus such as the Terry Freitas Commons, Cantú Queer Center and the Ethnic Resource Center Pantry.  

The Redwood Free Market is located at Rachel Carson College and provides fresh produce, personal care products and meal kits. 

Cowell Coffee Shop is located at Cowell College and provides free sustainably grown food.

Off Campus: 

The St.Francis Catholic Kitchen operates a soup kitchen program and offers hot lunches. 

Santa Cruz Barridos Unidos is a community-based organization and includes a free food pantry.